So, mystery solved — well, sort of. We still have no idea where he’s been for the last 21 days.

And it’s entirely likely we won’t ever know the answer to that second mystery.

Kim has disappeared before — and we still don’t know why

As North Korea expert Rachel Minyoung Lee wrote for the New York Times on Friday, “This year alone, Mr. Kim disappeared for 21 days between Jan. 26 and Feb. 16, and for 19 days between March 22 and April 10.”

And in 2014, Kim wasn’t seen in public for five weeks, during which he missed a major holiday commemorating the founding of the ruling party. At the time, speculation about why he was absent ranged from him nursing a hangover, suffering from gout, or having been overthrown in a coup.

When he finally reemerged, there was no confirmed explanation of where he’d been. And, even more mysterious, he showed up walking with a cane — leading to speculation he’d been recovering from some sort of health issue.

Kim is believed to be in poor health: He’s a chain smoker, he’s obese, and he may suffer from gout. During this latest disappearance, there were unconfirmed reports that he’d undergone heart surgery and was recuperating — and perhaps that he was gravely ill due to complications from the surgery.

But it’s going to be near impossible to confirm that information, as Kim’s health is one of the most jealously guarded secrets in the country. Instead, Kim almost surely wants to change the subject, and showing up at a fertilizer plant as if nothing happened is one way to do just that.

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